When Andrea moves on
by Loz06
Summary: Neil.Andrea. Sequel to When they work together...again'. Andrea is encouraged to move on from Neil but will she be able to shake the feeling she’s betraying him even though all she wants to have is some fun.
1. Chapter 1

**Title**: When Andrea moves on

**Author**: Loz

**E-Mail**: loz06(at)yahoo(dot)com

**Rating**: T

**Category**: Neil.Andrea...Who else? Oh and the supporting cast, can't forget them.

**Series**: Story number twenty two. What follows are titles and story ID numbers:

_**(1) **After he's at her door – 2486705 **(11)** When they're back together – 2619492_

_**(2) **When the mighty fall – 2506192 **(12) **Life almost in balance – 2630121_

_**(3) **While his wife's away – 2525486**(13) **Life under pressure – 2666280_

_**(4) **While they're away – 2543010 **(14) **Trying to have a life together – 2699235_

_**(5) **When love's not working – 2543013 **(15) **Outside influences on their lives – 2704730_

_**(6) **Boundaries when broken up – 2562611 **(16) **When things start falling apart – 2727112_

_**(7) **What happens on the train – 2579012 **(17)** When they're approaching the end again - 2750079_

_**(8) **When they work together – 2595808 **(18) **Trying not to drift apart – 2891564_

**_(9)_** _When she wants him back – 2598312 **(19)** When the truth comes out - 2912317_

_**(10) **When they're stuck together – 2611364 **(20) **How things are going to be – _2954769

_**(21) **When they work together…again – 2959211 (22) When Andrea moves on - 3181250_

**Spoilers**: So minor it shouldn't ruffle any feathers.

**Archive** (if applicable): www(dot)fanfiction(dot)net(slash)loz06

**Feedback**: The good, the bad and the very ugly it's all appreciated.

**Summary:** Andrea is encouraged to move on from Neil but will she be able to shake the feeling she's betraying him even though all she wants to have is some fun.

**Authors' notes: **Well…I've been gone a while. Had a crap and very busy 6 months or so which drags on. I haven't written at all in this time and still don't have the time to get back into it, but I had this one and others on the bench so here it is.

**Apologies: **If you've been waiting for this next instalment for as long as it's taken to get here.

**Disclaimers:** I haven't moved on from hoping I'll own the Bill one day, but for now no one who appears below (save Louise and Cally) belong to me.

* * *

Andrea is waiting for him when Neil climbs the steps to his flat, when she hears him she looks up from her shoes. He stops, three steps away, looking up at her he absorbs the concern on her face, taking the last remaining steps slowly. At the top he continues looking at her, needing her. Only when Andrea reaches for his tie does he look down, her grasp is gentle and she pulls him slowly to her. Neil gives in easily, supported by his hands on the front door. He can't help but kiss her, she's warm, comforting and unselfishly giving, and still something bothers him, something he has to address.

"Andrea, I don't think…" She sweeps away his words with another kiss.

"Shh, don't think at all." She feathers light kisses around his neck.

"It's not a good idea that we…" Again Neil is silenced by her lips.

"It's just about tonight, you know it and I know it. It doesn't make any difference to anything between us." Convinced he opens the front door and lets her go in first.

Andrea's immediately haunted by what happened last time she was in his flat. When she turns to look at Neil, she wears the same look as she did the last time she was here. Neil's keys and wallet drop to the floor as Andrea slides her arms around his neck; he presses himself next to her.

Through kisses her hands push his jacket off his shoulders and down his arms. The knot in his tie is too tight and she gives up, hurriedly unbuckling his belt and pulling his shirt from his pants, the buttons of his shirt much easier than the tie Neil successfully removes. Shoes are kicked off.

His hands on Andrea's side find the edge of her shirt, pulling it over her head. By the time they reach the bedroom hands have slid across hips and released the button and zip of her skirt, it slips to the floor.

She traces his face with her fingers.

"I can't stand to see you upset, it hurts me." Neil nods and understands; it speaks volumes of the connection they share.

Wounded Neil allows Andrea to bring him back to life; she goes a way towards healing him with her tender touch and the unselfish attention she pays to him. It's not an equal act but that's the point, tonight is about Neil. Her gentle caress and special attention to the sensitive spots she discovered in him a long time before now flood him with feeling, erasing the pain.

She knows him too well.

Their contact doesn't end when they cease moving under the covers, Neil sleeps in her arms as Andrea lies awake thinking about the fact she tried to keep when she felt shallow, tried to concentrate on filling his emptiness and not what she might need from him. However she can't stop coming back to what they've just done and what she's just felt.

A sole tear is the only indication she's upset about what she's lost. Neil's last thought is that this is the first time she's been in his bed and he'd have preferred to it be under different circumstances.

The next morning Andrea finds herself with her arms still around him, she has no idea what to say let alone how to say it. A part of her thinks this was a bad idea and she wants to flee so not as to prolong the inevitably uncomfortable situation.

From the floor at the end of the bed she slips into her underwear, something draws her eyes back to Neil, she watches him sleep. Back tracking her steps picking up her shirt, back in the bedroom she slides on her skirt.

She spots her diary on top of her bedside table, it's unopened.

Unbeknownst to her Neil sits up and watches her dress, she catches the rustle of the sheets eventually and takes her eyes over to his.

"I thought you were asleep." Andrea says looking away; she fiddles with her clothes, smoothing them down to occupy herself. She doesn't want to be the first one to say anything about the night before.

"You're leaving." His voice sounds sleepy and when she finally looks at him he rubs his eyes.

"I've got to get to Cally." It's convenient but no lie. Neil throws the covers back.

"I'm coming with you; we have to talk about this." It makes Andrea feel uneasy, she thought everything that needed to be said was said at the door last night.

* * *

As Neil throws the ball for Cally at the park near Andrea's flat she's reminded that this was not the way she imagined them doing this, it was a rosier situation and they were more together. Cally had greeted Neil like she hadn't seen him for a lifetime, nothing unusual and something Andrea drew strength from each time it happened to her.

"I'm not sure if I should be grateful or angry." Neil says as he throws the ball and Cally chases after it as fast as her short legs will allow.

"Why's that?" Andrea picks up the ball and this time she throws it herself.

"You…" Neil looks over the empty park, it's Christmas Day and most people are celebrating with family and friends, it's not the type of day people spend in a park let alone attempting to analyse your actions from the previous night.

"You took pity on me." Neil says and Andrea thinks for a moment that maybe that's right but in her heart she knows it's not true.

"It wasn't pity, you were hurting and you needed comfort, a reprieve. You were so low in your office last night. I couldn't just walk out, you were devastated." Andrea looks across at Neil who holds the ball in his hand, Cally on guard waiting for him to throw it. Neil's eyes meet hers and they convey to her he knows what she's just said is true.

"You still care." Neil says slowly, throwing the ball.

"Very much so, I think I probably always will. Too much has gone on between us." Andrea is honest.

"I still care too." They hold each others eyes and Andrea has an overwhelming urge to lean in and kiss him.

"When I said last night was just about last night I meant it." Andrea reiterates, it's as much a reassurer and reminder for Neil as it is for her.

"Can you do that?" It's not an accusation, a question that indicates he thinks it might be a burden.

"I won't deny I still feel enormously for you but I realise what I've done to you and us and that sort of thing can't be wiped away easily." Andrea's voice betrays the fact she wishes it wasn't the way it is. Neil sighs and looks up from the ground. "Are you going to be able to get through this?"

"I'm not sure."

"Because I can't be there for you on this, because of where our relationship is at the moment and because of the nature of what you have to do." Andrea picks up Cally and sits her on her lap.

"So what was last night?" Neil asks slowly.

"I'm not going to say it was a mistake, if that's what you're thinking because it wasn't and I don't regret it. It wouldn't be healthy if it continued and there are still the trust issues you have with me." Neil nods and pats his pet dog. "Is Colin coming back?"

"The twenty seventh."

"He's your strength…when you feel like last night might happen again, you look to him. It's the only way you get through; my Colin is of the fur variety." Andrea looks to Cally and back to Neil who throws the ball and Cally pushes of Andrea's lap, digging in her claws as she goes. "What are you going to do about the papers?"

Neil's arm stops mid-air Cally having brought back the ball already, her Cally's eyes never leave the ball, she remains frozen in one spot. "I don't know." Andrea doesn't press for more.

"I should go."

"You have somewhere to go, other than to an empty flat this Christmas Day?" Andrea reminds him of his lonely status.

"I guess not."

"So come to mine, you can spend some more time with Cally and I'll cook us something, it seems stupid for both of us to be alone." It just makes good sense to Andrea. "Christmas is about the children." She teases, elevating Cally to human status.

"It's another reason for us to be together when we shouldn't be." Neil reminds her and Andrea knows full well it's true.

"Nothing's going to happen…I don't want to be alone today, do you?" Neil can't deny it's true but still he holds back, there are so many issues.

"Just for a few hours," Neil relents; Andrea doesn't smile on the outside as they head back to her flat.

* * *

Neil's not sure if he should be doing this, his head rests on the phone as he wonders what the rules are for this, if it's appropriate. None-the-less he dials the phone number waiting for someone to pick up. The sweet and friendly voice he wants to talk to answers, she identifies herself and the number he's called, just the way her mother probably taught her.

When Neil identifies himself and asks the question that is the reason for his call, Julia hesitates. "I'll just ask mum."

The phone clutters down and Neil realises it's a respectful teenager that still asks her mothers permission to go somewhere with a stranger. In the distance Neil hears her say 'it's Colin's dad, he's a police officer.' The next voice to come down the line is an adult female's. Talking to the parents of his teenage son's girlfriend is a first; it's a first for any parent of Colin's friends. Neil only feels good about it.

"Thanks for asking me to come Mr. Manson." Julia is both polite and down-to-earth though she fiddles nervously with the edge of her skirt. The more contact they have the more comfortable about his son spending time with her Neil becomes.

"Call me Neil, please." There it is...he knew it would happen sometime in the future. He means it as well and it doesn't feel uncomfortable in the least.

"Oh I couldn't do that." Julia says like it would be the ultimate in disrespect. "Did Colin have a good Christmas?"

"I think so, but he's also happy to be coming back." Neil smiles across at Julia quickly.

"I really like him Mr. Manson, he's kind and caring and he's not like other boys my age." Again Neil looks across at her but she's smiling towards the front of the car. It reminds Neil of the moments when he used to catch himself staring off into the distance, thinking about Andrea and smiling.

"He really likes you too." For a while the trip proceeds in silence.

"If you don't mind me saying you look like you have something worrying you." Neil casts his eyes across the envelope in front of the steering wheel, he adds intuitive, respectful and caring.

"It's just work stuff." He lies, he wouldn't dream of telling her the truth.

"Oh." Why is it women not matter what their age suspect men have something they're hiding.

"I caught the people responsible for those drugs." Neil changes the topic.

"That's good." Julia says enthused as Neil spies a post box on the next corner. He pulls into the curb and Julia doesn't ask, "Back in a minute."

He hurries out of the car with the envelope but slows as he reaches the post box. He holds the divorce papers three quarters of the way down the slot but is unable to let go. He knows he can't do this in front of Colin, he has to do it now but his fingers won't release their grasp. He doesn't know why he hesitates, he knows it's over with Philippa, perhaps he always imagined this moment to be a happier one; it would mean he could be with Andrea. Maybe it's just because it's the end to such as large and significant part of his life and signals great change. He doesn't notice the envelope slip as he talks himself around, he stands for a moment with the feeling of it being gone, off to the solicitor and the divorce underway. When he turns back he sees Julia quickly avert her eyes from him. She'll tell Colin, never quite sure if they were divorce papers that Neil has just slipped into the mail but having seen how hard it was none-the-less.

* * *


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

The pub is fuller than usual, filled to the brim with New Years revellers who are in the mood to celebrate; Andrea doesn't quite feel on the same level as them.

Out the window she sees two officers passing by; she doesn't have time to look at their faces.

"What shall we drink to?" Louise asks but Andrea isn't sure, tonight feels more like a time to reflect on the year gone, not to make plans for and celebrate the next.

"Health, wealth and happiness always works for me." Andrea suggests though she considers it lame.

"And how many of those do you currently have?" Before she's even answered it Andrea doesn't like the question.

"Well I'm not being paid the amount you are, I have my health till later tonight when I've drowned quite a few more of these and as for happiness…"

"Oh no you don't, you're not allowed to get depressed over a certain DI till later…a lot later."

"Too late, I've been depressed over him for months." Andrea looks down to her pint. She knows she'll switch to something heavier later.

"Lucky for you it's New Year, a fresh start, New Years resolutions are just around the corner." Louise says sounding like it will be the solution to all Andrea's problems.

It's been the year in which she and Neil shared their first kiss, when they slept together for the first time, when she realised she loved him and times were good. Then things weren't so good and she needed more from him, there were good times again and her birthday, the magnificent ring and Cally. But more recently she'd revealed her job as a journalist, he was about to step into the divorce ring to possibly fight it out and as far as she was concerned they were lost at sea.

A balanced but fluctuating year when she'd left Sun Hill and as the officers outside pass again Andrea doesn't know if she misses not being out on the beat.

"Cause I've had great success at keeping them." Andrea rolls her eyes.

"Drink up?" Louise encourages but Andrea can't help wondering where Neil is right now. "We'll find you someone nice tonight to help you forget your broken heart."

"I'm not sure that's what I want." She can suddenly feel the ring on her finger and Andrea looks down at it.

"O.k. another topic," Louise realises Andrea is only going to dig herself down deeper. "Your work for us has been fabulous."

"Thanks." Andrea smiles, almost adding it was once all she wanted to do.

"Keep it up and you'll have my job." Andrea laughs and secretly thinks she could be quite capable at it.

For the next three pints they laugh about the men in the pub they would and wouldn't date. Not surprisingly Louise is more open than Andrea, who still notices the occasionally passing officers; she decides she misses it, the good and the bad. Andrea finds herself wishing Neil would walk through the door, even if he doesn't see her.

"You're not too forthcoming about your past." Louise changes tack to another sensitive area.

"It was another lifetime ago, I'm a different person." In more ways than one Andrea says to herself.

"Fair enough, always best to let sleeping dogs lies." Having failed with the new topic Louise tries again, "What about him?"

"You don't think much of me do you?" Both women laugh together and Andrea moves onto her first whiskey.

"Andrea Dunbar, fancy seeing you here." Smithy drops into the seat Louise held until a little while ago when she got up to dance with a guy who had become known to them as 'option number two.'

"Happy New Year Smithy," Andrea wishes him but for her, her heart isn't totally in it.

"You don't look like someone in the spirit of celebrating tonight." Andrea twirls her whiskey in the glass.

"It's been a very ordinary year." Andrea decides it's the best way to phrase things.

"Oh come on." Smithy laughs. "All those cases you got a result on, the new job." It's true that's all part of the high points of the year, work oriented that is. Andrea gives no discernable reply. "What are you drinking?"

"No, it's o.k. Smithy." She doesn't go as far to say she doesn't want to make her depression any worse. Smithy looks at his watch.

"You've got to have something in your hand at midnight." Andrea tips her half empty glass towards him.

"You don't seem to be drinking yourself." Andrea looks over to Louise whose well into dancing with 'option number two.'

"Couple of beers, I don't know which is the shorter straw, having to work New Years Eve or New Years Day." Andrea becomes attuned to the similarities between Neil and Smithy, same short dark hair, though Neil's is receding, similar frame although Smithy's much taller. Neil's serious and enigmatic demeanour is outshone by Smithy's boyish smile and looks, "How about a dance?"

Andres smiles but shakes her head. "Come on, there's ten minutes to go, can't sit here all alone with no friends."

"Where are yours?" Andrea counters.

"Lying drunk in a gutter someplace," He jokes and Andrea gives in.

The music is loud and it mimics the beat of her heart. It makes lip reading necessary, still it has the ability to overpower everything else inside of Andrea's head and that's good right now. After a few minutes Andrea realises how awkward Smithy looks dancing, it just doesn't fit his tall frame and Andrea laughs.

"What?" He asks of her laughing like there's nothing funny going on.

Andrea falls towards him still laughing, her hands on his shoulders, when she's stopped laughing they continue to dance in their own private spaces.

"Here it comes, ten…" Smithy yells as the crowd counts down to midnight. The TV screen shows the central London celebrations where fireworks will shortly explode.

When the crowd of bodies cheer as New Year strikes, Smithy plants his lips on Andrea's, surprising her.

"Happy New Year," He says pulling out of the platonic kiss. Andrea wonders why she was so surprised; it was just a New Years kiss. Smithy sees the look on her face, "Come on dance."

"No, I'm just going to go." Andrea still feels she has nothing to celebrate and though she's not drunk the alcohol is only making the feeling worse.

"I'll walk you." Smithy yells but Andrea shakes her head, she'd much rather be alone.

"Thanks, I'll just get a cab." It's Smithy's turn to laugh and Andrea quickly comes to realise why, it will be impossible to get a cab tonight. "I could use some fresh air."

Andrea waves to Louise who is barely visible through the crowd. It doesn't go unnoticed by Louise that Andrea is leaving with Smithy. She raises her eyebrows but then returns her attention to 'option number two' who she's been lip wrestling with for much of the night. Outside Andrea pulls her coat on but enjoys the change of the night cool from the hot and smoky pub.

"What is it about alcohol and greasy food?" Smithy asks his mouth full of his last bite of kebab.

"I don't know but this is good." For Andrea, as sad as it is, it's been one of the highlights of the night.

"So any resolutions this year?" Smithy dodges a woman holding her drunken friend up, both could only have just turned the legal drinking age.

"None I won't break." Andrea replies cynically.

"Same." Smithy says and takes another bite. "Thought one of yours might have been to come back to Sun Hill," A not so subtle hint.

"Maybe you're living out one of your resolutions now, to convince me to come back to Sun Hill." Andrea teases.

"No, I'm not." Smithy laughs. "So you're happy?"

"Very. In fact Louise told me earlier tonight she was very happy with my work and one day I'd have her job."

"Was she drunk?" Smithy jokes and earns himself a playful hit.

"Why do you want me back there anyway?" A little curiosity enters Andrea's voice.

"No reason, you just did a good job that's all, you were enthusiastic, thorough, and fair and your observational skills would have made you a good detective." The last one comes too close to emotions. "There just didn't seem to be any reason for you to go, unless there was something going on I didn't see," Another comment that slides close to the truth, even if Smithy doesn't realise it.

"Don't worry Smithy, you did your job well, you didn't miss anything. It was time for a change, to spread my wings to other areas."

"But you might come back one day." He hints.

"Maybe," Andrea gives him some hope even if there's precious little.

"I didn't know you had a degree in journalism." Andrea's head immediately snaps around to Smithy. What's left of her kebab nearly slips from her grasp. How does he know that, where has he been digging?

"How did you know that?" Andrea asks politely but curiously, it covers the mild concern that would normally be in her voice.

"I just assumed you had to have one to be qualified for the job."

"It was something I did straight out of school, I didn't really know what I wanted to do, I guess I had this image of being this reporter and running in and out of war zones, saving the world. When I finished the degree I did a few jobs but it wasn't like I'd imagined, it was small and petty and a lot of the time unimportant stuff done by people with egos so big they thought they were doing some sort of public service, so I left."

Smithy nods encouraging her to continue.

"When I decided to become a cop, I didn't include it on any of the office paperwork, mostly I didn't think it was relevant or would help me in anyway. Actually I thought it might stop me being accepted, I might be suspected of having ulterior motives," Another half truth.

"So you want to tell me why you're so down?" Something told her Smithy was working towards this.

"It's nothing." The path is now empty, private flats and houses in darkness.

"Yeah nothing small," Smithy comments and Andrea decides to open up.

"I was seeing someone this year." Andrea begins.

"You mean last year." Smithy corrects and Andrea notices he makes her laugh, more than Neil does.

"Yeah," Andrea laughs with him.

"You kept it quite." Smithy probes.

"Yeah, we kinda wanted it that way, it was difficult and we didn't know if it had a future. Actually we wanted a future we just didn't want the outside world putting its two pence in."

"Sounds a bit…I don't know, controversial, secretive, lonely, isolated…not telling anyone." Andrea nods accepting that at times it was.

"It was going really well and then I did something stupid and self destructed the whole thing." She dodges the controversial comment.

"You do that often?"

"No, only for the really important thing when I don't want to," Andrea smiles with the irony.

"So what did you do that self destructed?" Smithy pushes for more detail.

"Oh no, no details," Andrea laughs. "It's only a short step to too much information then."

"That was when you had the time off." Smithy suddenly realises and Andrea nods in confirmation.

"So I can't ask you if I know him?" Smithy continues.

"You can but I won't answer, anyway it's not anyone you know." A lie dressed as misdirection.

"So you don't think there's any chance you'll get back together?" Andrea looks up realising she's only four blocks from home.

"I wouldn't forgive me if I was him." Andrea sighs.

"That's being harsh on yourself," Smithy says indicating he believes it's unnecessary.

"What I did was unforgivable…stomped on his heart with stilettos instead of treasuring it." Andrea dramatises.

"How serious was it?" Smithy asks quietly as if this were a no-go question.

"He was prepared to MMC with me, marriage, mortgage and children." That sentence will always be hard for Andrea.

"From a blokes perspective you're right," Andrea mock glares at him. "You have stomped on his heart but it doesn't mean he still doesn't love you, relationships are just as hard for men, just as much work, just as much of a mystery, we just don't seem to make it so public."

Andrea thinks of all the articles she wrote in women's magazines in Scotland. Fill women with mis-information and false hope is all they would have done.

"We both had baggage as well, coming into a relationship, enough for us and another person and we took risks, he more than I. That's what makes what I did worse than it might have been for anyone else."

"So he's married then." Smithy comes close.

"Was... When we first started seeing one another," Andrea realises Smithy could join the dots. "He's had a hard year and I didn't help things."

"I could say it's better to have loved and lost…"

"Do you really believe that? You've been there with Kerry, was that how you felt?" Andrea doesn't believe for a moment he does and as his face drops, Andrea gets the answer she needs. His look trips her up, the sadness of talking about the year had kept her mind from thinking about Neil, now she drowns in it.

"I miss her so much." Smithy's voice is a whisper, cracked with emotion. Andrea takes her hand to his cheeks and slowly her lips to his when she sees him lean towards her. This is no Happy New Year kiss, their tongues duel and lips move more intensely against each others.

Andrea looks directly to her left once she's broken off the kiss, shocked at her actions and not a little bit confused. "I'm sorry, I have to go."

She runs, not walks across the road to her block of flats but keeps walking past. Her boots are comfortable and she can get a cab if she needs one but for now she's happy to walk.

* * *


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

There are no lights one out the front when Andrea gets there, she runs around the corner, staring over the wall through the garden to the back, no light either. Back at the front she buzzes but Neil doesn't answer his flat bell. She sits outside on the garden ledge wondering what one earth she's doing and why, she has no plan and nothing to say that she's planned. She slides her phone out of her bag and stares at it before typing and sending the message – _Happy New Year_. For the whole long way home she keeps the phone close but there's no reply. She doesn't know why she was there and needed to see him, perhaps it was the kiss with Smithy that was impulsive in the least – she'd been drinking, the conversation was emotional and there are still so many parts of her raw about Neil and herself…she's lonely without him too. Maybe it was everything else, the whole year.

She certainly doesn't expect Smithy to be waiting for her when she gets back to her flat.

He looks up from sitting in a position that's similar to the one she just sat in out the front of Neil's. He stands when she looks at him and digs in her bag for her keys.

"Smithy," she says unsure of what his presence means. He says nothing so she goes to open the door to her block of flats.

"I just thought there was something in that kiss." She doesn't need her reasonable side to tell her she shouldn't. She knows that she should just apologise again and put it all down to a mistake, say Happy New Year and goodnight. Instead she has to complicate things further by taking one step towards him and him to her. By two people for no other better reason than a mild attraction, too much alcohol and battered hearts from previous relationships, locking lips. By encouraging him upstairs with her actions and her signals.

The sex is awkward like Smithy on the dance floor, it feels disjointed and like they're not in synchronisation, it lacks the flow and intimacy she shares with Neil whom she seems to just fit with. His touch is different and their bodies unfamiliar to one another. It's a combination doomed from the start, both of them with the same needs and issues, neither able to provide what the other needs. Two souls clinging together as they sink.

Andrea finds herself wishing it would just be over.

Later when Smithy snores gently next to her Andrea tells herself she might have thought this was moving on from Neil but in reality she's just filling the gap he's left. She knows part of tonight was about being upset about not being able to get into contact with him for whatever reason she needed to.

Still awake later she realises Bruce's words about her betraying someone again are coming true. There are tears in her eyes as she realises what she's done to Neil and there's no amount of anything that would help him forgive her now. She looks across at Smithy knowing in an effort to fill the gap Neil has left in her she has selfishly betrayed him again.

And although some might point out they're no longer together and she's free to see who she likes, it makes no difference to Andrea.

Neil can't ever know and this can't happen again.

Her phone vibrates against the bedside table and immediately she grabs it checking Smithy has not been disturbed. _Happy New Year _the message reads from Neil. Andrea goes to sleep with the message and by extension the phone in her hand.

In the morning when she wakes Smithy is gone, no note or anything, an indicator perhaps he considers the night before as much as mistake as she does.

* * *

When Andrea walks into Louise's office the day after New Years Day she hastily says goodbye to the person on the other end of the phone. She hangs up looking guilty and searches through her pile of work. 

"That was 'option number two' wasn't it?" Andrea needs to start a conversation that takes them back to New Years Eve, she needs to purge about Smithy.

"His name is Joshua Elsom." Andrea sits in Louise's visitor's chair, raising an eyebrow.

"You seem to have hit it off." She needs the conversation to turn to her; she can't just blurt out 'I slept with someone.'

"You too, who was that I saw you leaving with?" Andrea knew Louise couldn't resist, much more interesting to talk about your friend whose life is a runaway train wreck.

"Just Smithy," Two words, so many connotations, Smithy nothing special, Smithy not putting any emphasis or importance on the whole thing.

"Just Smithy," Louise repeats emphasising the 'just'.

"Dale Smith, he was one of my sergeants at Sun Hill." Andrea explains like its business.

"Not one for browsing in your own ranks are you and what is it with Sun Hill, is there something in the water over there?" Andrea shakes her head indicating what a mess her life is.

Louse reads the signals loud and clear. "You slept with him; does this mean you and the DI…?" Louise broaches gently.

"I've cheated on Neil, Louise, on top of the other betrayal." There's despair in her voice.

"Hang on; I thought that's what the betrayal was in the first place." Louise pulls Andrea back, she shakes her head slowly.

"I could never…" Andrea realises the hypocrisy of her words. "It was worse and I've just added to it."

"Hang on, the two of you are split, it's not cheating. Just date this Smithy guy for a while, have fun. You remember dating; it isn't necessarily followed by living together and marriage which I know you expect from your senior officers." Andrea indicates to Louise her sarcasm isn't helping.

"You think the fact we're not together makes a difference in here." Andrea indicates to her heart. "I have to live with it. I'm still hoping he'll have me back, I can't be getting around with other men."

"So you tell Smithy thanks for the great night but that's it." Louise says like it's the simplest thing in the world, Andrea's face screws.

"What…it wasn't good?" Louise guesses and screws up her own face.

"I compared it."

"You're hopeless." Louise says exasperated. "You apply strings and standards to a one night stand."

"Help me!" Andrea pretends to cry.

"I think you're beyond help except to say don't go near Sun Hill." As soon as she's said it Louise turns serious. "What's your plan for the long term, for getting Neil back?"

"I don't know...there's still months until he's officially divorced and who knows what will happen by then, if he'll want me back. He might meet someone else."

"You have to fight." Louise is adamant and Andrea nods.

"Tell me about Joshua Elsom, he's younger than you." Andrea changes the topic, she feels better for talking about Smithy and now it's her turn to show some interest in Louise's life.

"A counter balance for you and Neil." She excuses.

* * *

Neil snaps up the phone, annoyed at yet another interruption, the Christmas and New Year period always sees the work pile up and although he's been back four days, the pile doesn't seem to be getting any smaller. 

"Yes." He answers not really caring about phone etiquette, it's likely to be an internal call anyway.

"Mr. Neil Manson?" The polite voice asks it seems taken aback by his gruff answer.

"This is he." Neil stops, realising this is not work related.

"Mr. Manson, this is Melanie Carter calling from Anderson Fitzpatrick Lawson. Mr. Anderson asked me to let you know that the courts have received your divorce petition and statement of arrangement for your son, they'll post it with the 'Acknowledgement of service' to the respondent."

"I'm sorry what's the 'Acknowledgement of service'?" This is really the last thing Neil wants to talk about but he's hardly going to brush it off.

"The respondent returns it to the court indicating they have received a copy of the divorce petition and they also indicate if they intend on defending the divorce. Because of the overseas nature of the respondent they have 30 days to reply."

"O.k.," Neil says unsure of what he feels. Till this point he knew he could just pick up the phone and stop the whole thing, though he never would and has no need to, now the ball is well and truly rolling.

"We'll be in touch Mr. Manson." Neil's cynical about the fact it's always a secretary or paralegal that makes these types of calls, the partners are too busy billing their clients to communicate directly with them. Though a firm that handles divorces can hardly be an uplifting place to work.

"Thank you." Neil says putting down the phone, the word 'respondent' echoing through his ears. She has a name, Philippa, then again not everyone's divorce is as amicable as his and the sound of a separated partners name could send some people into a rage.

It takes him a little while to get back to work, he's still nervous about Philippa though she's promised she won't fight and then there's Colin who seems to be handling everything well so far, but it's only just getting started.

In her own office Andrea picks up her ringing phone, attention diverted from the press conference on the TV being conducted two boroughs over. The DCI was holding up well under some difficult questions from the media.

"Hello." Andrea answers, still watching the ageing detective on the screen. Only silence is returned to her.

"It's Smithy." The reply finally comes and he has Andrea's full attention.

"Hello."

"Look I'm just calling to say I'm sorry about the other night, I feel like I took advantage of you." It was not in the least what she was expecting him to say.

"I took advantage of you as much as you did of me." Smithy doesn't acknowledge the admission. "I think we should go on a date."

Andrea looks over to Louise's office and recalls what she said about being split from Neil and just having fun with Smithy, nothing too serious. Still she has to work hard to get it. "Just a beer and some pool or something, nothing too serious, two battered and bruised people like us couldn't take but deserve much more."

"O.k. when?" Andrea smiles and relaxes back into her chair.

"Tomorrow night?" She suggests.

"Pick you up from yours." Smithy offers.

"See you then." Andrea puts the phone down and feels good, she smiles knowing she's looking forward to the date. It's just some fun, it's not going to get serious and if Neil decides he wants her back then it's like Louise says, thanks for the good time but it was never going to be anything more.

Andrea starts to think about what she might wear.

* * *

"So what made you decide to do this tonight?" Smithy asks as Andrea lines up the pool balls, she takes her shot and the ball drops gracefully into the pockets, not bad for someone who hasn't played since university. 

"Nice try but you didn't distract me." She spins the pool cue on its end that rests on the ground, Smithy smirks. "I don't know, spirit of New Year, wanted a nice fun night out."

"Oh so you don't like me then." Smithy puts on a hurt face.

"I thought that was obvious, I did ask you." Andrea emphasises the 'you'.

"I'm glad you did." He says smiling and then lines up his shot, Andrea grins to herself.

"So what are you working on right now?" Smithy places a beer in front of them both.

"Nothing interesting... Oh we got a call from some documentary makers last week; they want to pitch to one of the TV stations a six part series on the day in the life of a MET officer at a MET station."

"Yeah," Smithy says encouraging her to go on.

"We're still combing through the details with the top brass."

"Sounds like a pain for the chosen copper."

"Its good publicity for the MET but sometimes a warts and all look at how we do things isn't helpful. It can open us up to counter productive criticism, rather than constructive."

"And if it's approved?" Smithy asks as he takes another sip of his beer.

"They pick someone and somewhere to film but we're a long way from there. There's insurance issues in case one of them is hurt while out with us. Then there's the fact having cameras around is distracting, good officers can miss things they wouldn't normally, it makes for a full area car with another person in the back, you've got to get permission to film people and there's some situations just too dangerous for civilians to go into. Then there's the argument that it's much better to follow one case right through rather than just showing us arresting person after person. Though I suppose the counter to that is the public like criminals being arrested."

"And then there are people like Amber who shouldn't be let loose in front of a camera." Smithy jokes. "She'll turn it into a doco about her. Or she'd hit on the cameraman and producer."

"I'll tell her you said that." Andrea laughs.

"So do you miss it?" Smithy asks later as he walks Andrea home.

"Sun Hill?" Smithy nods. "Sometimes," They walk on in silence.

"I've learnt there's nothing worse than the pain you bring on yourself by remembering how things used to be with someone." Smithy breaks the silence catching Andrea starting ahead of them.

"How'd you know?" But he doesn't reply. "I don't think there's a cure either."

Silence prevails again till they're at the door to Andrea's block of flats. "Look Smithy, I'm in no state to get back into a serious relationship."

"What indicator did I give that I was?" Smithy laughs at the conclusion he assumes she's come to.

"None, I just wanted to make sure you knew." Andrea starts to laugh herself, "As if it weren't totally obvious."

"Let's just go out sometimes, enjoy ourselves and not make promises to each other." Smithy suggests looking right at Andrea

"Well I enjoyed myself tonight." Andrea agrees.

"So did I, goodnight Andrea." Smithy's lips kiss her cheek and he's gone with a smile. Upstairs Cally doesn't greet Andrea, stretched sleepily on the foot of her bed.

"I had a good time." Andrea tells her furry flatmate.

* * *

To be continued…In the next story. Story ID - 3188794 


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